We have been house hunting for a couple months and OHMYGOD, it sucks. Everyone said it would suck, so I'm not exactly sure why I'm surprised. People told us it would be hard, and time-consuming, and exhausting, and that at times, we would feel like giving up. All of these things are true. On paper, we look good... amazing even, so I guess I just assumed that this process would be somewhat easier for us. Nope, NOT AT ALL.
When we put an offer on the first place we liked, I figured I'd be all sly and announce the happy news on the blog once we signed the papers. HA! Once we signed the papers. Well, two offers in and countless properties considered, we've still got nada. I know we will find a place, I really do, but that little bit (or big bit) of quitter in me is feeling mighty discouraged.
We seem to have two major problems. One is, at the price point we can comfortably afford, there's so much shit out there. Total unlivable shit. Here's the thing... I knew this would be the case going into house hunting. I was totally aware that we were most likely going to end up buying a total craphole and fixing it up ourselves. And honestly, that did and does still sound like a fun project that I would love to take on. That being said, is it too much to ask that these crapholes at the very least come with some of the essentials, such as WINDOWS? I don't even care if they're nice windows. Just simple panes of glass to separate my peaceful sleeping self from the outside world.
Our second problem is cash buyers. Believe it or not, Oakland is quite the hotspot right now and we're faced with investors who are buying these crapholes with cash money, and doing all the necessary repairs with even more cash money. Both of the places we put offers on were lost to cash buyers. How can we compete with that? How can ANYONE compete with that? I don't know what kinds of businesses you guys are all in to, but the businesses that Joe and I are in to do not give us the luxury of having HUNDREDS of THOUSANDS of dollars in the bank at any given time.
So as mentioned in my last post, I am beyond ready to move at this point. However, temporarily moving into another rental when a) we don't really have to, and b) we're looking to buy anyway would be a stupid move... not to mention a huge waste of time and money. All this means that we're sort of stuck. I hate even calling it that, but can't help that it's how I feel. Surely, there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Right?
House hunting SUX! Hang in there though:) I have written about our mammoth house hunting experience on my blog.
ReplyDeleteStuck - absolutely, that is what house hunting can do. And sometimes, you feel so stuck, and on a deadline, like your lease ends and you can't stay. That's part of our story - or, the one you care about. Our biggest enemy was the fact that the rural market is so bleeding on fire right now. For over a year, actually. You would put an offer out there, someone else would, too, and then you would end up in a bidding war. Which is so lame, fighting over land and houses. WTF is up with that? It was so refreshing to know that us Americans never got over our need to fight over land and houses. Except now we use wallets and banks instead of guns.
ReplyDeleteI feel your pain my dear. We're a little further on in the process but equally as stuck. We've had an offer accepted on a fantastic house, in the village that we're currently renting in. Offer was accepted over 2 months ago but our vendors still haven't found anywhere that they want to buy. We've got everything lined up and we're just waiting for them. The most painful part of it...we can actually see the house we're buying from our yard. It's in the next street along. So near, yet so far.
ReplyDeleteoh, there is light at the end of the tunnel. One day you WILL find THE house. and the wait will make it all the sweeter.
ReplyDeletebut in the meantime, i totally agree on the Shit that is Out There (that's a worldwide conundrum). and would it hurt people to clean up/put away their UNDERPANTS before inviting people in who could potentially buy their house?
Oh. I. Feel. You.
ReplyDeleteI've completely abandoned my real estate license because the whole business is so tedious and unappealing anymore. Keep your head up- looking good on paper is what counts nowadays. Banks are more stoked on people with great credit than those with big down payments. Cash buyers, well, they're at the top. But you're already ahead of most, and it will pay off big time!
ReplyDeleteOh it was AWFUL for my husband and me. We have pretty much perfect credit, but they botched our initial pre-approval paperwork and approved us for more than we could actually get for-real approved for later so we had to jump through a million hoops just to get the paperwork fixed. We had our hearts set on two different houses and both fell through -- the thing to remember is, I think, to not get attached to a house before you sign your lives away on it. And we had the WORST bank rep on our case -- literally, she would fall off the face of the earth for a week when we were waiting to hear if we got approval and if things were looking good...and then she'd condescend to us when we met as though because we're young, we needed parental guidance from her.
ReplyDeleteUGH.
Chin up though. If you find a house you love, it's worth it.
Have you looked in El Cerrito? Someone told me the other day that there are more reasonable houses there, and I bet the school district is better for when Cheech grows up. Plus you are still close enough to Oakland good stuff.
ReplyDeleteOH, I love how you and Jamie both posted about house searches today.
ReplyDeleteWe bought our Yellow House in August 2010. I do not regret the choice, even though the process nearly killed me dead. Not only was the process of finding one completely heinous, but the whole getting approved by the bank, waiting for closing, inefficiency of the people we were dealing with, etc. were enough to make me go completely insane.
However, I will say this: we live in a neighborhood that is pretty old, used to be sketchy, now is full of young couples renovating older homes and old folks who have been in the 'hood since forever. A lot of the houses in our price range were completely disgusting. I really stuck to my guns, though. I love the charm of old houses, and I didn't need for the entire thing to be renovated/updated. My only requirement was that everything in the house must be LIVEABLE for up to five years. If the counter tops were ugly? Fine. As long as they were fairly clean and in good condition so that I could function with them until we could afford to replace them. I would say make a list of things you want in a house and let your real estate agent know. Some things are not negotiable. Like not having windows. Hang in there. You'll find something. In the meantime, feel free to email me and complain. I can certainly relate.
Having recently moved I also feel you. But yes, there can be a light at the end of the tunnel. We are now fixing up our forever house and it is good.
ReplyDeleteYour house will find you. I did give up on the process, sent my beau alone and said "do what you gotta do" and thankfully he eventually found us a house :) It is not perfect, we didn't get some of our "must haves" but honestly if we had ended up with the house I envisioned I don't know if we would even be together (figure upper was my dream)! I know it is hard to see that everything happens for a reason but it does and you will hopefully be able to look back on this time and laugh...or at least smile..at some the dumps you even considered...(one of the houses I liked seriously was not even....the left side of the house was significantly lower then the right....WTH...and I convinced myself that we could fix it... ) Just remember it could be worse, your not having to move right away and I would take a week off, no house looking/talking/etc. Recharge your batteries and start again when you are refreshed.
ReplyDeleteGoing through exactly the same thing at the moment. We have been looking for 18 months and I think I have fallen in love with a house every month, then poof, it all goes to crap. (Not before I've mentally moved in, picked wallpaper for the hall and planted an entire crop of veg in what the estate agent optimistically calls the 'garden'/muddy square).
ReplyDeleteIn that time we've realised that a) we can't afford a shoe box in North London, b) my boyfriend doesn't respond well to the phrase "everything happens for a reason" and c) people who sell houses for a living have no souls.
Good luck xxx
Whoa! Did you and Jamie coordinate posts today?
ReplyDeleteHouse hunting is miserable. I know because we tried and gave up quickly. Now we're contemplating trying again and it makes me want to curl up and die.
I believe I already told you about the house with a freeway offramp deadending into the front yard? Large metal posts were erected to ensure that the speeding cars at least didn't plunge into the living room, but still! Oh, and it was on the edge of being out of our price range.
Good luck! After all that looking, people do find places that are just right for them and then I can only imagine how amazing it is.
I keep hearing how hard it is to buy your first home. I wish you lots of luck!
ReplyDeletehttp://lindseyyoung.net
we just bought our first house in south-east berkeley, and are loving the neighborhood and the schools that our boys will eventually go to.
ReplyDeletewe were the total opposite... we started looking and were so not ready to buy. i imagined we would look for months (which i had actually hoped for, so that i could mentally and financially prepare for home-ownership.) we saw the house, and owned it within 45 days. it was nuts! never happens the way you plan it.
let me know if you want the name of our loan agent. she was awesome, and had our loan closed in 20 days!
Hang in there! We're in shock and awe that you guys are even doing this.
ReplyDeleteYour house is just waiting for you! by the way--you make me laugh out loud when I am by myself at my computer which is awesome! Love your blog.
ReplyDelete